Ex Machina Page #3

The man working it is wearing shorts, and is shirtless.

Bathed in sweat.

His hands are not protected by gloves. Only wraps. Spots of

blood seep through the pale material around his knuckles.

This is NATHAN BATEMAN. He's thirty.

After a flurry of punches, NATHAN breaks off.

Breathing hard, he wipes at his eyebrows with the back of his

wrist. Sweat droplets cascade down his face.

Then -

- NATHAN senses the other presence.

He turns to see CALEB. Standing by the open glass wall.

NATHAN:

Caleb.

NATHAN beams.

NATHAN (CONT'D)

Caleb Smith.

CALEB:

... Hi.

NATHAN starts unravelling his wraps.

NATHAN:

Dude. I've been so looking forward

to this.

15 15

INT. HOUSE/DINING AREA - DAY

NATHAN walks past CALEB, and goes to a bar area, where there

is a jug of non-specific vegetable juice waiting, and a

glass.

11.

NATHAN:

Come in, come in.

CALEB puts his bag down.

NATHAN (CONT'D)

You want something to eat or drink

after your journey?

CALEB:

No. Thank you. I'm fine.

NATHAN:

You sure?

NATHAN pours himself a glass of the vegetable juice.

NATHAN (CONT'D)

I'd been thinking we'd have

breakfast together, but to be

honest, I can't eat anything right

now. I gotta tell you - I woke up

this morning with the mother of all

f***ing hangovers.

CALEB:

Yeah?

NATHAN laughs.

NATHAN:

Like you wouldn't believe. And if

I have a heavy night, I always try

to compensate the next morning.

Exercise. Juice. Anti-oxidants.

You know?

CALEB:

Sure.

Silence, as NATHAN drinks.

CALEB feels he needs to say something.

Looking around, he sees a collection of empty beer bottle on

the kitchen counter.

CALEB (CONT'D)

... Was it a good party?

NATHAN doesn't answer.

He's still drinking.

The silence extends a little. Verges on odd.

NATHAN puts his empty glass down.

12.

NATHAN:

Party?

NATHAN looks at CALEB. His expression is unreadable.

NATHAN (CONT'D)

Caleb. I'm going to put this out

there so it's said.

CALEB waits.

NATHAN (CONT'D)

You're freaked out.

CALEB:

... I am?

NATHAN:

Yeah. You're freaked out by the

house, and the mountains, because

it's all so super-cool. And you're

freaked out by me. To be meeting

me. In this room, having this

conversation, at this moment.

Right?

CALEB doesn't have time to answer.

NATHAN (CONT'D)

And I get that. The moment you're

having.

NATHAN smiles.

NATHAN (CONT'D)

But dude, can we get it behind us?

Can we just be two guys? Nathan

and Caleb. Not the whole employer-

employee thing.

CALEB:

Okay.

Beat.

CALEB (CONT'D)

It's good to meet you, Nathan.

CALEB holds out his hand.

NATHAN beams.

NATHAN:

It's good to meet you too, Caleb.

They shake.

13.

When CALEB takes his hand back, there is a little smear of

blood on his fingers.

He discretely wipes it on his trousers.

16 16

EXT. HOUSE/ELEVATOR - DAY

NATHAN and CALEB enter an elevator.

It has no buttons. Only a keycard plate.

NATHAN swipes his card.

NATHAN:

Down.

The elevator starts to move.

16A 16A

EXT. RIVER - DAY

Water flows over rocks.

17 17

INT. HOUSE/GLASS CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS

CALEB and NATHAN exit the elevator, into a glass corridor.

The floor is polished concrete. The walls and ceiling are

glass, behind which diffused light glows.

At regular intervals, glass doors are set, glowing with the

same light, flush with the walls.

Beside the closed doors are keycard plates and soft red LEDs.

CALEB carries his bag, looking slightly encumbered next to

NATHAN.

NATHAN:

So I guess the first thing I should

do is explain your pass. It's

simple enough. It opens some

doors, but it doesn't open others.

And that just makes everything easy

for you, right?

CALEB:

... Uh, yes.

NATHAN:

Because you're like: oh f***, I'm

in someone else's house, can I do

this, can I do that? And this card

takes all that worry away. If you

try to open a door and it stays

shut:
okay, it's off limits.

(MORE)

14.

NATHAN (CONT'D)

If you try another door, and it

opens:
it's for you.

NATHAN stops by a door.

NATHAN (CONT'D)

Let's try this one.

CALEB hunts around in his pockets for his keycard.

Then swipes the card on the plate.

The LED turns blue.

NATHAN (CONT'D)

Guess it's for you, Caleb.

18 18

INT. HOUSE/CALEB'S BEDROOM - DAY

NATHAN follows CALEB into a bedroom.

NATHAN:

You like?

It has the vibe of a mid-level business hotel. Bed, table,

TV.

Except it has no windows.

NATHAN (CONT'D)

It's your room. You got yourself a

bed, cupboards, a little desk, and

a bathroom through there. A little

fridge.

NATHAN opens the fridge. Inside it is full of bottled water.

NATHAN (CONT'D)

Cosy, right?

CALEB puts his bags down.

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